Rapid fabrication technique of nano/microfluidic device with high mechanical stability utilizing two-step soft lithography

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Vol. 201; pp. 407 - 412
• Main Authors: Mogi, Katsuo, Sugii, Yasuhiko, Yamamoto, Takatoki, Fujii, Teruo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-10-2014
• Subjects: Micro fabrication; Microfluidic device; Nano fabrication; PDMS; Poly-dimethylsiroxane; Nano fabrication; Micro fabrication; Poly-dimethylsiroxane; Microfluidic device; PDMS
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2014.05.047

We established a rapid fabrication technique utilizing two-step soft lithography to realize rigid nano/microfluidic devices which have high mechanical and thermal stability, good chemical resistance and replication accuracy. The proposed technique enables the production of rigid nano/micro structures including inlet and outlet ports by utilizing a mold master made from a soft material, conveniently and inexpensively. A device made from a thermosetting epoxy resin instead of a hard material showed a high replication accuracy, even with a high-aspect-ratio micro structure, and demonstrated sufficient mechanical stability at pressures exceeding 0.4MPa. It is possible to realize the nano/microfluidic devices with high aspect ratios, high depth, and low surface roughness, such as nano-dot arrays, well structures, nano/micro channels, and other small and/or precise structures.